Idun
}} Idun is a deity in the Norse pantheon. She is the goddess of youth and spring. She is the husband of Bragi, the god of poetry. Description Appearance and personality Idun stands six feet tall. She is a youthful woman of great beauty. She is especially protective of young girls, and will sometimes send her avatar to protect them from harm. Idun is chaotic good in alignment. Titles Idun is called the Goddess of Spring and Eternal Youth. She is nicknamed Youthbringer. Abilities As a goddess of youth, Idun can slow or reverse the aging process in any being. She can awaken any dormant or sleeping thing. Idun can throw apples with random magical effects, similar to a rod of wonder. Portfolio Idun is a goddess of spring and youth. Worship Dogma Idun is said to protect young girls, sometimes by sending her avatar personally to rescue individuals from danger. Worshipers The people of Midgard typically worship the Norse pantheon as a collective group. Clergy Idun's priestesses dedicate themselves to the goddess at a young age before taking the role as her clergy in adulthood. They always appear to be youthful, and are said to possess eternal youth. Duties of the priestesses of Idun include caring for orphans and blessing the spring planting. Holy sites Norse temples are typically well fortified. Holy symbol Idun's holy symbol is a wicker chest full of apples. Apples in general are used as her symbol. Favored weapon Idun's clerics favor the staff or sling. Her avatar often wields a staff. Relationships Family Idun is the husband of Bragi, Norse god of poetry. Enemies The giants often try to kidnap Idun in order to secure access to the apples of youth. Allies and minions Idun is friendly with many gods of other pantheons, including of Toril. Idun is protected by the other gods of Asgard. In particular, Thor once slew the giant Thiassi, father of Skadi. Idun is served by a divine proxy named Gudrun, a female human fighter whose duties including delivering the apples of youth to the Norse gods. Once per year, she may ask a favor of the Norse gods, and it is usually granted. She assists the valkyries in choosing the slain, and hopes to formally join their ranks one day. Creatures A legend says that the buraq were created from horses who stole apples from Idun's garden. Artifacts Idun is famed for the apples of youth which the Aesir eat. . They are picked from the Tree of Life, called also the Tree of Youth, near the Urdar fountain. The Norns allow none other than Idun to pick these apples. . Idun carries them in a wicker chest which can carry any amount of apples. The gods must eat one at least every ten years. Idun's avatar carries a staff which can make anyone ten years younger when struck by it. Realm Idun inhabits the Groves of Brunnaker in the realm of Vingolf, , the latter great estate best known for its communal great hall in Asgard. Her husband, Bragi, often lives with her at Asgard when he is not at his mountain retreat or wandering the planes. Idun rarely leaves her estates. Publication history Original D&D Idun first appears in . AD&D 1st edition Idun appears in and , where she is a lesser goddess. AD&D 2nd edition Idun is detailed in and the Planescape sourcebook . She is mentioned in . Idun's staff is reprinted in . D&D 3rd edition Idun does not appear in . Loki's theft of the golden apples of Idun and the necklace of Brisingamen are mentioned in , as an example of an epic level task. D&D 4th edition The Norse pantheon does not appear in D&D 4th edition. D&D 5th edition Idun does not appear in this edition. Creative origins Idun, often written as Idunn, Ithunn, or Iðunn, is a goddess appearing in Norse myth. In the Poetic Edda, she appears in the story Lokasenna. When Loki attempts to goad Idun's husband Bragi into attacking him at a feast, implores her husband to ignore his taunts, and to think of his children by blood and adoption. Loki insults Idun, claiming she slept with her brother's killer. Idun refuses to insult Loki in return. Idun's brother and children are not mentioned in any other surviving source. In Snorri Sturluson's Prose Edda, Idun is described as keeping an ash-wood chest of apples which the gods eat to regain their youth. In one story, the giant Thjazi forces the god Loki to help him kidnap Idun and her apples. When the Aesir discover this, they force Loki to rescue her again, which he does by assuming the shape of a falcon and turning Idun into a nut which he carries out. He is chased by Thjazi, who takes the form of an eagle, but the Aesir capture Thjazi and kill him. References Category:Norse deities